The Quest for Power
by Lightning-Strike
Summary: Amana has been mistreated all her life. She's gotten used to it. But when she gets a Dragoli as a starter Pokemon, she realizes that it could be payback time for those that had hurt her! But is she really that cruel behind her shield of hatred?
1. The Mystery of Dragoli

I have begun a new plan…do you all know what this means?  NEW FIC!!!  Duh!  Why else would this be up?  It's not like I just want to rant out all my unfinished ideas to you…which, actually, I do, but that's not the point.  Pokémon, obviously, isn't mine.  However, Amana is and so is the Dragoli.  Not to mention that AWESOME Vampireon Professor Hemlock has…never mind.  Enjoy!

Amana sat quietly on the counter in the lab's kitchen, rotating a half-full glass of water in her hands.  She was a failure, and she knew it.  Her grades were only satisfactory, her parents hated her, and she had no friends.  Life was miserable.  She lived with it.  

And here was her chance to get a starter Pokémon…and she wasn't doing her job.  She was sitting in the kitchen with a glass of water trying to get rid of her headache.  Granted, it was a very bad headache, but she was still avoiding her duties.  She never had been good about doing needed things.  Procrastination was her middle name, as her father said.  That was before he got the belt out.

Amana looked at her right arm.  Three long, reddish brown scars stood out against her pale skin.  Sighing, she took another drink of water.  

How long had she been gone from the little hatchery?  Fifteen minutes?  Half an hour?  She didn't know.  Nor did she care.  She was dragging herself into her usual pit of misery and she didn't care a bit.  She heard footsteps in the hall, but she didn't react.  Why bother?

"Now, Dracula, would you prefer herbal tea or Earl Gray?" Professor Hemlock's voice echoed a bit on the white linoleum tile throughout the room.

_Herbal.  It's better for me. _ The smooth, cold voice of her companion sent chills up and down Amana's spine.  She glanced up as both the professor and the Vampireon caught sight of her.  The Vaporeon-like creature melted into the shadows, but not quickly enough to keep the girl from seeing him.

"Amana, what are you doing here?" Hemlock chided.  "You're supposed to be watching the eggs!"

"I've got a headache," she muttered, taking another drink of water.  "I like your Pokémon.  What is he?" she asked nonchalantly.  Dracula slipped out of the shadows on the wall, wary of Amana.  He stood behind the professor, wondering just what to do.

"He's a Vampireon," the professor told her curtly.  "And I would much appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about him.

"Hey, it's none of their business," Amana shrugged.  "Besides, why would I tell them?  I don't concern them, why should they concern me?"

_This girl is very…indifferent_ Dracula muttered to Professor Hemlock.

"How many Vampireons are there in the world?" Amana asked as she sipped her water.

"Just one, to my knowledge," the professor replied.  "Mine."

"Interesting," Amana muttered, draining the glass.  "I guess I'll go back to the egg watching, since you seem so concerned about their well-being."  With a roll of her eyes the girl left the room, walking down the hall to the hatchery.  Sitting down in one of the chairs, she noticed that one of the eggs was broken, the baby inside gone.

"Well, I guess Trina's already gotten hers."  Of all the people Amana could ever admire, it was Trina.  Straight A student, parents who loved her although she wasn't their own, and a lucky streak that got her out of any problem it seemed.  She didn't procrastinate; rather she did the work as it was assigned leaving extra time for touch-ups.  She was a model student.  And Amana hated her for it.  Yet at the same time she envied the girl.  And out of the two conflicting emotions, hate showed through.  They were as good as mortal enemies.

But she didn't care.  Trina didn't care at all.  Rather she occasionally tried to be nice to Amana.  Of course, sometimes the girl's temper got the better of her.  But usually she just ignored Amana.  That was the way of life.  She was ignored.  And so she made a shield of hatred, impenetrable from the outside.  Sometimes she wished that more would pay her mind.  Even hatred was better than being ignored.  She made enemies that way, but at least they knew who she was.  It was better than nothing.  

Slowly her eyes focused on one egg out of the clutch.  It was vibrating ever so slightly, cracks lacing the surface of the shell.  The girl cocked her head, wondering what was inside the red and yellow oval.  The cracks began to deepen, the shuddering growing more and more violent.  An piece of the shell fell away, revealing a deep, intense blue eye, surrounded by a rosy red color.  More of the fragile covering began to crumble as the tiny creature inside thrashed about.  A bit frightened, Amana began to pull the hard coat away.  

As the last of the brittle shell came apart the girl found herself staring into the deepest cobalt eyes she could ever imagine.  They belonged to a very tiny dragon.  Two tiny yellow-orange wings, still partially covered in egg chips, fluttered behind it as the creature wagged its tiny arms.  It was covered in brilliant fiery red scales, its underbelly a saffron yellow color.  A thick tail stretched out behind it, wagging a bit to dislodge a few of the shell fragments.  It stood on two short, thick legs with clawed feet, its clawed hands and small wings waving about to help it keep its balance.

"Okay, now that is cute," Amana muttered, extending her hand and running her fingers over the two tiny horns protruding from the creature's head.  It began to purr and bumped its head into her hand.  She chuckled to herself as she began to lightly rub under the Pokémon's chin.

"And now you've met the Dragoli," Professor Hemlock stated.  Amana whirled around, startled, hiding the little dragon behind her.

"A Dragoli?" she asked.  Hemlock nodded, walking into the room.  Dracula was not with her, much to Amana's regret.

"Yes.  It's quite cute and sweet right now, but after it evolves it will lose the cuteness and the sweetness.  Dragonets live to fight, and they've been known to fight even their trainers.  And if you manage to get it to the final stage…well, lets just say that no one has ever survived being a Dragotheryl trainer."

"I'll take it!" the girl exclaimed.  The look in her eyes was one that said she was ready for whatever could be dished out at her.  Hemlock looked a bit doubtful, but nodded.  

"Would you like to go pack your things?" she asked.  Amana shook her head vigorously.

"I'm already packed," she explained, pulling a loaded backpack from under the table with the eggs.  The professor blinked a bit, startled, but nodded.

"You'll need these," she told the girl, handing her a belt and six Pokéballs, along with a red instrument.  "The belt can hold up to fifteen Pokéballs, but you can still only use the normal six in battle," Hemlock explained.  "Until you fill the belt, I won't be receiving any of the Pokémon you capture.  The Pokédex will record all data on Pokémon you have captured and seen.  It's a very valuable tool on your journey."

"That's what I expected," Amana muttered, slipping the belt around her waist and inserting the Pokédex into her pocket.  Turning, she picked up the Dragoli and patted its head a few times before turning back to Professor Hemlock.  

"Also, you're not allowed to attempt capturing other trainers' Pokémon," Hemlock continued.  "It's against the rules, and you won't be able to do it, either.  Once a Pokémon is captured its energy wave patterns are bonded to its Pokéball, making it impossible for another trainer to capture it unless released."

"Yeah, I read that," the girl growled.  "Are you insulting my intelligence?" 

"No, I'm just reminding you," the professor said.  "Lastly, you need to remember that Pokémon are not weapons.  They're friends to us.  And on the road, when we don't have our family with us, they become our family.  You have to remember to treat them with care and respect, because they're just like us.  They have feelings, just like us.  They feel pain, just like us.  They're not lesser organisms.  They're on our level."

"All right, then," Amana nodded.  She could understand that.  A new family…a family where she wouldn't be abused…it was like a dream come true.  "I guess I'll be off now!" she smiled.  It was a real, true smile, not a forced or fake one, and not a snide or sneering one.  A true smile of happiness.  Nodding the Professor Hemlock she turned to go.

"And take good care of BurningSky," Hemlock told her.  Amana froze.  Slowly she turned to the professor.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I told you to take good care of BurningSky," she said again.

"I never told you that I was thinking about naming the Dragoli that," Amana said.  

"One of the benefits of having a Vampireon.  They can read minds," Professor Hemlock grinned.  This thought seemed to turn over in the new trainer's head for a moment, then she nodded.

"Just keep it out of my mind, okay?" she asked.  Hemlock nodded.  Amana again turned, this time making her way out of the lab.

_Somehow I knew you'd blow our cover _Dracula said as he slipped out of the shadows.

"But we can trust her," the professor said.

_And you honestly think she can survive the Dragotheryl? _ The Vampireon seemed very doubtful.

"Yes, I do," Hemlock replied.  "She's a strong girl with a good heart, but she has to learn to break out of her own egg.  She's trapped now, trapped in a world of hatred and malice.  I'm just hoping her Pokémon can break her out of that.  Now, let's have that tea."  Once more the two traveled down the hall to the kitchen where their tea was waiting.


	2. The Vaporeon and Fury

Ah, the second chapter of The Quest for Power.  I've been thinking about this one for a while, but I didn't exactly know how to work it.  I think I do now…anyway, thank you for reviewing the first chapter!  I really appreciate the comments!  And now…to the fic!!  Oh, I love my tea…

_Dragoli is a Baby Dragon Pokémon.  Its scales are tough as armor, creating a chain mail over the creature's entire body.  It is nearly impossible to penetrate this defense.  This Pokémon comes in a variety of types and colors, ranging from the flame red Volcano Dragoli to the electric yellow Lightning Dragoli.  At level fifteen a Dragoli will evolve into a Dragonet._

For the second time that day a trainer walked down Sunflower Alley, trekking toward Rose Town.  It was growing late, the sun dipping down toward the horizon and creating a fiery rainbow in the sky.  Amana smiled a bit at the sunset colors, looking down at her Dragoli's shimmering ruby scales.  She could see herself reflected in the scales, her deep cobalt blue eyes half closed in relaxation.  

BurningSky looked up at her trainer.  The girl smiled down at the baby dragon, who grinned back at her.  

"Draie?" the Dragoli asked.  Amana nodded a bit.

"Yeah, I'm all right," she said.  BurningSky nodded, yet she continued to gaze at her trainer.  "What is it, Sky?"

"Draie, draiego golili draieli," the hatchling said.

"What'll happen when the big fire goes out?" Amana repeated, a bit confused.  Looking up, she saw that the sun was just beginning to lower itself past the horizon, the colors fading from the sky.  She beamed as she caught her Pokémon's meaning.

"It'll get dark, and there will be lots of stars out," she replied.

"Go?" BurningSky asked, cocking her head.  Her trainer lifted her arms over her head, the Dragoli still held gently between her hands.  The creature looked at the sun, then her eyes followed the blaze of colors into the vast expanse above.  First there were the darkening reds that came from the yellow-red fireball.  Next were the autumn oranges and the golden yellows.  Following was a strip of lavender, soft and creamy, and then the cool navy that stretched and darkened across the eastern sky, fading to the utmost blue-black with its shimmering stars, glittering like tiny snowflakes in the velvety darkness.

"See?  Those little shining dots are the stars," Amana murmured, caught in the beauty of the moment

"Draiegoli…" BurningSky whispered reverently.  

"Yeah, it is beautiful," Amana agreed quietly.  They watched for a few minutes longer, their sights fixed on the edge of the blue and lilac as it crept ever onward toward the horizon.  Both wished the moment would last forever.

Funny, isn't it, how in seconds the peace can be shattered.

A piercing, inhuman shriek broke the calm of the world.  Startled, the girl released BurningSky, the tiny dragon falling the short way down to Amana's head.  She lay clutching her trainer's dusky red hair, cerulean eyes wide in fear.

"What was that!?" the girl cried, looking around hurriedly for the source of the sound.  A whip cracked farther down the trail, followed by another quivering wail.  In seconds Amana was racing forward, heading again toward Rose Town, but now another goal was in mind.  Neither one noticed the heavy black clouds filling the sky, or the wind that had begun shaking the sunflowers all around them.  Their attention was fixed on the shrieks coming from just beyond the next rise.  As Amana reached the top of the hill she stopped dead, staring down at the scene before them.

A boy, no older than she was, was mercilessly whipping a badly injured Vaporeon.  A large Chikorita beside him was aiding its master, sending flurries of Razor Leaves toward the wounded Pokémon.  With each lash of the whip searing across its body the Vaporeon screeched to the heavens, begging for help from the gods, help that would never come from them.  

"HEY, YOU!!" Amana yelled.  The boy turned toward her as she raced down the incline toward him, BurningSky still firmly attached to her head.  "What do you think you're doing!?" 

"Whipping this worthless Vaporeon into shape," he told her, cracking the whip on the ground at the girl's feet.  She didn't even flinch.

"I know you," she growled.  "You're that jerk from school, Drake."  He sneered at her.

"And you're that twit Amana," he replied snidely.  "Listen, I don't have time for worthless girls.  I've got business to take care of."  With that he turned and brought the whip over his head, then brought it down to strike the defenseless water type.  Yet his whip never came down.  Instead it grew taught, then was pulled from his hands.  Looking back he saw Amana, now staring at him with narrowed eyes as she twisted the bullwhip in her hands.

"Don't you touch that Vaporeon again," she snarled.  He glowered at her, then sneered.  

"Chikorita, Razor Leaf!" he called.  The grass type whirled its leaf around and around, sending a storm of leaves at the new trainer.  But for some reason she didn't look worried…a blast of flame came from above her, incinerating the leaves.  Looking up, Drake and his Pokémon caught sight of BurningSky hovering over her trainer's head, flames licking her tiny jaws as she prepared another Flame Wheel.  

"I suggest leaving," Amana sneered.  Drake again glared at her, then took off down the path toward Lily Valley.  With a faint smirk playing across her face, she watched him go.  Then she tossed the whip into the air.  Another Flame Wheel blazed through the darkening area, burning the instrument to a mere string.  As it hit the ground the girl sneered again, kicking it into the flowers.  Then she looked over at the Pokémon.  

It seemed young for a Vaporeon.  Maybe only five years old in human standards, which was quite young for the strong water type.  But its injuries couldn't be ignored.  The whip marks almost seemed to glow in the near darkness, glistening scarlet lines on the dry fur of the Pokémon.  A few of the Razor Leaves were still embedded in the Vaporeon's side, trickles of red stemming from them.  Fatigue was evident on the Pokémon's face, as well as the intense pain it was feeling.  

Gingerly Amana reached out, tenderly pulling the sharpened leaves from the creature's skin.  It yelped softly as each was removed, but calmed as the pain subsided with the last one's elimination.  The girl then placed her hand on the Vaporeon's cheek, lightly rubbing the soft fur there.  It looked at her through a slightly opened eye, watching as the Dragoli again landed on the girl's head.

"Draie?" BurningSky asked as Amana pulled a Pokéball from her belt. 

"Yeah, I'm afraid we'll have to capture it," she muttered.  She placed the red and white sphere beside the Vaporeon, listening to the thunder rumble in the sky.  A drop of rain fell onto the ball's surface, rippling very slightly in the gentle breeze.  Amana quickly reached up and pulled BurningSky off of her head, tucking the little Pokémon into her jacket.  The Vaporeon watched her the entire time, wondering, debating, deciding.  Then, weakly, it extended a paw and touched the tiny white spot on the dual-tone sphere.  Instantly the creature was converted to a translucent rose energy which was quickly absorbed by the Pokéball.  It shook once, then again, and a final time before the small red light on the button faded.  The Pokéball remained still. 

"Li!?" the Dragoli asked, concerned.

"It's all right, Sky," Amana assured the hatchling as the rain began to fall harder.  Reaching out she took the ball and clipped it to her belt.  "The Vaporeon will be okay once we get it to a Pokémon Center."  The rain was coming in torrents, sending the pair down the path at an incredible rate.  The girl wished she could better protect her fire dragon, but she couldn't afford to stop.  There was too little time.  She rushed forward, hoping against hope that everything would turn out all right.

Bwa-ha!!  Another chapter!!  Can you tell I enjoy being evil?  Well, I ENJOY BEING EVIL!! *cackles*  Anyway, I'll probably be uploading another chapter soon, and another chapter of the Quest for Knowledge will be up in a matter of time.  I've got the start of it, so now I just need a continuation…anyway, it'll be up.  Soon.  Hopefully…don't forget to review!  And, if you'd like, send me an E-mail at lightningbeacon@aol.com.  I love E-mails…bye for now!


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